Here we are
by Mimeactor
Summary: Sometimes you succeed even more perfectly than you wanted to.


The remains of the town.

They were standing in the remains of the town, facing each other from some distance. Some of the ruined buildings were still partly on fire, but mostly there was just dark smoke rising up, painting the sky black and scattering ash through the air. Distant screams or pleas of survivors were vague and weak. If someone were to stop and listen, that someone would hear the last bridges and buildings still somehow standing come crashing to the ground.

Dib was exhausted. He was panting heavily, his left eyelid was half closed and his clothes were torn and bloody. He was clutching at his arm, trying to hold it in place, because moving hurt like hell – there was a hole in his shoulder that wouldn't stop bleeding. Every inch of his body was sore and bruised, half of his hair had burnt off and it was hard to concentrate on anything. His glasses were full of cracks and dirt and he had lost some teeth.

The metallic taste in his mouth promised he would be dead soon, poison in the air alone had killed at least half of the people and Dib had no idea where his mask had disappeared to. There were probably poisonous liquids in his blood too.

Oh, the irony of this all – what could have been more appropriate to end professor Membrane's life than his own chemicals from his own laboratory, just because he didn't believe his son? Well, Dib would be following soon enough.

He didn't know if Gaz was still alive. The girl had always been venomous, it was possible she had stayed alive simply because every breath she took seemed to be pure evil instead of oxygen. Some stained rocks hit the ground just inches from Dib's feet and bounced forward, pieces of the hard material falling of with every bounce.

One of the stones stopped near Zim, who didn't look much better than Dib. His spider legs dug into the bruised ground and one of said legs was shaking visibly. But as Dib's eyes seemed dead and desperation showed clearly on his features, Zim had a giant grin on his face and a predatory look in his eyes. He was worn out and dirty too, but his hands were spread and his whole being just reeked of energy.

He had grown over the years. Not as much as Dib and he still wasn't as tall as the almighty Tallest had been, but he wasn't in child's scale anymore. He was stronger, he was even crazier than before and he had destroyed most of the Earth. The only one still standing on his way was Dib, and it didn't seem like Dib was going to be able to hold on to life much longer.

For some reason, Zim didn't like the idea of Dib being gone.

There were many things Zim didn't like. He hadn't liked his own race anymore after ingeniously discovering the horrible faith that had been planned for him, so he had taken care of Irkens first. They were no Irkens left and the thought of the dying faces of his previous leaders made a wave of almost orgasmic pleasure hit through his slim body.

He hadn't liked the Earth either, and as much as he didn't like Dib's giant head (how could anyone have a head that big?) he liked to play games with the human. What's the point in making an evil plan if there's no mortal enemy to have a combat with? What's the point in playing if you can't win? What's the point in being amazing if there's no one to see that amazing? If there's no one recognising how genius, how wonderful, how absurdly perfect Zim actually is? No point at all in that.

"Here we are, Dib-stink", Zim said, the tone of his voice even louder than usual, more dramatic, shaking with excitement. Gloved fingers twitched and his pink eyes shone even through a cloud of smoke, pulled between them by the wind.

Dib didn't think he could stand much longer. His vision was really getting blurry and he didn't have anything left to say to Zim. What can you say to someone who has destroyed everything? Well, maybe Zim wouldn't kill everyone yet; maybe he'd keep them as slaves until getting bored.

"Not flapping your meat so much anymore, huh, Dib? I think I'll stick some kind of probe in you. I've always wondered what those eers are good for. Hmm? Maybe I'll put something horrible in there. Something long and gooey, maybe something to make you see piggies."

Dib fell on the ground and stayed there, unmoving.

Zim looked down on him, his overly amused expression changing into more of a frown. He crawled closer, the broken spiderleg shaking furiously under his weight. Zim didn't think Dib was dead, because he wasn't done with the filthy human yet and stink beast had no right to just die without permission.

Black boots touched the ground soon enough and Zim made a face at the stink of blood and other disgusting body fluids. He couldn't stand touching this revolting little worm, so he just stick his boot into Dib's shoulder and kicked him until he was lying on his back, jaw hanging loose, facing the smoke-filled sky.

"I think I'll make you less dirty now", Zim decided and tried to figure out how to get hold of this revolting thing lying in the ground without actually touching it. He found some torn blanket to wrap Dib in and off they went, spiderlegs tapping coldly against everything made of iron.

What Zim didn't notice was that Dib wasn't breathing anymore.


End file.
